Antiskid boot or sheath for game balls



1935. M. GALLINANT I I 2,011,760

ANTISKID BOOT OR SHEATH FOR GAME BALLS Filed April 25, 1935 INVENT OR r Patented Aug. 20, 1935 7 ANTISKID 2,011,760. Boer e SHE TH FOR mum OFFICE GAME BAL -s; ilton Gallinant,RidgefieldFark, 19.15., assignor Chase, Md.

, of one-half to Arthur J. Bergman, Chevy v Applicationnpril 25, 193'5,"Serial'-No.18,246

and more formof'corrugations, projections and the like. The boot is'm'adeas aseparate unit and is adaptled 'td-be readily attached or removed from a conventional ball, thereby making it possible to use a regulation game balljfor example-a football, which may be handled with minimum fumbling when the weather is inclement and the ia-wetting of the surface of the ball. V

,The device is not only designed for and inplaying conditioner-the fieldis such as to cause tended to be; used in regulation gameslout also for-practice purposes. It willbe 'alppreciated that Vi w Often due to. a muddy condition' of the "play- "'ingfield, thata coach cannot instruct the players in the-execution of-plays involving handling {of the balL for the reason that the ballflis too slip- "pery for a player to" obtain a firm grasp vuponit s fsurface. *While instruction',in theform of let:-

tures'on fundamentals and so'-c'alled blackboard practice can ,be resorted to when the playing field is'not in a condition for the; usual practice routinait is more desirable thatthe players actually have an opportunity to not onlyrun through the formations, butalso have a ball which can be readily grasped and manipulated on plays,i the 'eiiecutionfoflwhich depends upon considerable [passing and handling of thebalL f I-Ieretofore, it has been proposed to form game balls, for example footballs and thelike, with frietion surfaces comprising ribs, projectionsor in- .qgntations integral with the cover structure of the hall, 'Ifhe; game ballshave usually beenmodiiied by forming-projections which are cdntinuations of -the seams or by removing-a portion ofv the outer surface of the cover to provide depressions oraindentations throughout a substantial'fportion of their exterior surfaces;"Whilexthe-priorart arrangements are satisfactory where it is desired to have agameball permanently equipped with frictionor gripping means, thesedevices' are open to the objection that the balls so constructed are not acceptable for use when the playing'conditions for which they were :designed' do, not ob- .tain. None; of the prior art arrangements, of

, U Figure 1 is a perspective view of a football ,equippedwith my improved anti-skid device;

14 Claims. (crews-e5) An-object of my invention is to provide an anti-,

skid boot or' sheathfor game balls, i Another object of my invention is to provid about or sheath for game balls which is readily f attaehedor removed from a ball. I 5

- 'Afurther object of my invention-is to provide an" anti-skid'device for footballs in the form of-a boat or sheath having friction grip surfaces formed on the exterior thereof;

A still further object of my invention is to provide an anti-skid device --for "footballs having means formed therewith whereby it may be readily attached to a gameball;

With these'and other objects in viewjwhieh "may be'incident to my improvements, the inven- T5 -tion consists in the parts and combinationsto be hereinafter set forth and claimed, withithe understanding that the several necessary elements, comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions, and arrangement, With- "20 'out ,departing from the spirit and. scope of the appended claims.

Inorder .to make my invention moreclearly understood, I; have shown inthe accompanying drawing; means for carrying thesameinto prac- 'tical effect, without limiting the improvements in their usefulapplications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation,

have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawing: '30

Fig.2 is a perspective view of a modified form of the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

Fig. sis a perspective view of a football showan ing another modification of the device wherein a different form of, end structure is used. V

' Fig. 4 is amo'dification ofthe' arrangement shownin Fig. 3. e Y i Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a football pro- 140 vided-with a further modificationof the device." Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified form andarrangement of Fig. 5.

Fig. ,7 is a perspective view of fa' football equipped with an anti-skid device having'a modi- F fied form of bodyand end structure; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detailed sectionalwiew showingthe-arrangement of one form of the sur face; Referring tofthe drawing, and more .particularly to Figure'l, there is shown a conventional footballi equipped with an anti-skid device in the formfof a boot' or sheath comprising aplujrality of; strips *2, connected to end members 3. Thestrips 2 may be formed of a combination of 5 10 r l i r In order to increase the coemcient of friction'of these materials,rubber, woven fabric, or other synthetic resilient material adapted to conform 4 with the contour of the game ball towhich the .sheath is applied.

It 111 be noted that "the 'strips extend longitudinally of therball and are spaced to substantially coincide with the seams "of the ball cover, the strips being constructedand farranged to 'fit'snugly againstithe cover so that ithere willbe no slippage. of the Strips during-mor mal play and handling of the ball.

v the gripping surfaces of'thev ball, so that i't can be handled with minimumi fumbling particularly that the friction surface may assume avariety or difierentiorms and configurationsi lt X niDl the corrugations maybe placed diagonally ofthe strips *or extend lengthwise thereof. I-nstead"ofi having "raised portions in' the form of; rilos as shown, a pluralityoi circular or diamond shaped pro c on ma be rm on e s r r o rt te v cuu p"d r es b pf r d- Wh tant ior the purposes of the present invention;

that; he su a be ,,-s c t at r the "ba ever form of friction lsurfacefis used; itfisimpor- "readilysr p a he r In app i ses eat r. boo to a, samev ball,

for; examp e hei otba l wnv n F ur 1 .Vi is onlyg necessary" to expand or pull strips 2 apart,

insertfthdball endwise'between th s ps LS that "one end thereof seats;inflalcapv 3, then slip the" ksheathover thepther end of,the -ba1l. ,The sheath sem -many; attached toetheball; the ends: of

. wthe ,ballbeing seatedinbaps 3;; It .will beunder T stoodsthat-fthe.caps -and/or strips are formed of material whichiis sufiiciently elastic to-accommo- -date.;for;the necessary stretching; and: expansion inlelongating the members to fit aor adapt-them= .selves to aballnal have found that a 'sheathmade of a rubber adapts itself readily I to the configuraf t'ion-iof" theQ ball.l The character of 1 this material 'is suchgthat 1thesheath, in the applied p'osition,

snugly fits and frictionally engages with the surfacejofth'eeoverj of the ballywith theresult that itiis "securely heldin place even I when subjected to roughihandling. 1 i 1 To insure positive grippingjof the sheathito'the surface of a game ball, the'inner' surface' '0f-the-' stripsmay be" provided Withian adhesivesub- 'stance, thesticky-surface of the strip'beingpro -"te'cted"'when nct in useby means of a strip or material 'whi ch may. be removed at the time" the Y sheath is applied to'a ball; By-f'means of this arran'gement positive gripping *;is'- assured; and it has beenfou'nd that a footb'all so equippedjwill'. I withstand rough handlingwithout -any'r'elfative,- ojhso" displacern ent pf the strips withrespect'to'their normalpositions'onthe surface of'the ball. It

willfbenoted that theedges of s'trip's 2 are tapered *a'sfindicated at 5, forming a 'ieatheredge of material which merged with the-surface ofgthe cover so that thetendency-togslip', due 'to forces -acting perpendicular to thefedges} is negligible. In the modification shown inFigure 2, a cen; "tr al sti ip'lf is provided'- for. the purpose iof rein- 1 forcing stripsi "and 'to'igive additional friction gripping areas which assist in. maintaining?- the glongitudinally extending strips'in ,theirfnormal "jpositiori; "directly over 7, the 7 cover seams of the j pan; 'Iiitheglnodified form,; a slightly difierent arr ngernentof the gripping surfacelof strips Z -is 1 {d-- il i eedi i o a ie i s 1 71;? ure t-ho when the cover has been,vvetted', strips}! a-reIprovided with projections or' cor'rugations 4' onthe exterior surface thereof. It will be a'l preciated I I j "2,011,760" I V lowprojections in the former vacuumicups l are provided. 7 r I r I Referring to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown other slightly different modifications, wherein the end members are in the form of loops or bands,

the ends of the ball fitting therein. In Figure 3,

in place of a solid cap 3, there are provided looped portions 8' attached to the ends of strips" 2. The sheath or bootstructure shownin Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, howevendiffers-from it in that a xcentral strip; 8, is used, which provides an increased gripping area and also gives additional support totli'elon'gitudinally extending strips 2.

I Further'modifications of the sheath .are shown in Figures fi and InFigure 5, aplurality of strips 9 are arrangedto encircle the body of the ball and longitudinally extending strips 2 are connected: therewith so that a gripping surface of increased area isprovided; ,In Figure 6, strips '2 extendlongitudinally of the ball and the ends of ,the' strips are connected' by means of circular membersjwhich are substantially the same; as

"members-9 shown Figurei5';

Referring tofl igure r1, there is shownla sun further modification comprising a sheath having? a body portion for'medof longitudinally extending strips I0; the'erids of-the' sheath being' attached to loop members, connectedlwith the main body portion} by meansof diagonal strips [2. It ,will 'be understoodthat strips all e teriasroun the body' of the ball and the under side, of the ball is ,equippedfwith the same .typel'of body portion, namely; stripslfiand l2 as isshoiwn inthe plan View-"rue V V. I t

fReferring to Figured; "there" is shown an en- 3? larged detailed sectional view of one. arrangemerit oof Tth gripping surface. It will be noted that "the edges 5 or; strip 2 are tapered and the adhesive surface it is "covered with a protective material M,.',which" may. be removed when the sheath", is applied to a ball. It will be understoodi th'at eachof the strips 2 is providedjwith adhesive and'ith'atf the protective material egtendsfalong the inner surface of the strip interimgdiatellthe endfcapSj'S. The'end caps 'may be provided 'with' adhesive "and any of the different types' offgrippingsurface maybe applied to the various modifications of the boot structure; Y I

"WhilefIhave shown and describedthe' preferred embodimentof my invention, liwish it to understood that I 'do notjconfine myself to ethe precise "details" of construction herein 'set forth; fbyway of illustrations; as it is apparent thatmany changes and" variations may be made therein, by those *skille'd in; the} art, without dehaving friction means-thereon. i 1 '2. In coinbination with a game ball, including aninflatable bladder and cover therefor, an anti- I 3.,Incombination 'with a game ball, including'an' inflatable vbladder and: cover therefor, a o detachable anti-skid; sheath having friction means on its outer surface. U

,4. In combination with. a -football; "an anti- Skidf device comprisinga reticulatedboot -havskid; bootjhaving friction means. on; its outer surface ;1-'- I plurality of interstices,- the portions of the boot defining said interstices being provided with friction surfaces. I t

7. Asan article of manufacture, an accessory for game balls comprising an anti-skid boot adapted to fit over a conventional game ball.

8. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for game balls comprising a reticulated antiskid bootadapted to fit over a conventional game ball.

9. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for "game balls comprising an anti-skid boot adapted to fit over a conventional game ball and means to secure said boot to the ball.

10. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for game balls comprising a rubber anti-skid boot adapted to fit over and conform with the exterior surface of'a'conventional game ball.

for game balls comprising an anti-skid boot adapted to fit over a conventional game ball, a portion of the outer surface of said boot hav- "ing friction means thereon.

12. As an article of manufacture, an accessory for game balls comprising a rubber anti-skid boot adapted to fit over a conventional game ball, the outer surface of said boot being formed with corrugations.

13. An anti-skid device for game balls cornprising a body portion formed of a plurality of strips of flexible material, end members connecting the ends of the strips and formingtherewith a skeletonized sheath adapted to fit over a conventional game ball. 7

14. An anti-skid device for game balls comprising a body portion formed of a plurality of strips of flexible material, end members comprising caps to receivethe ends of a ball, said caps connecting the ends ,of the strips and forming therewith a skeletonized sheath adapted to fit over a conventional game ball, the exterior surfaces of said strips having friction means thereon.

MILTON GALLINANT. 

